Our Little Girl
by Lucretia Cyphus
Summary: Oneshot. Ron finds out that Rose is dating Scorpius Malfoy. How will he learn to handle this? Can Hermione convince him that it's okay, or will it take more than that?


Our Little Girl

Ron Weasley had had a long day at the Auror office. He was looking forward to seeing his wife and kids as he apparated back to his house. When he got there though, he almost wished he'd stayed at the office. He had apparated directly into his kitchen where he was excited to get something to eat, but then he heard his sixteen-year-old daughter Rose talking to someone through the fire.

"Okay, change of plans, why don't I just meet you there instead of you coming to pick me up?"

"Okay, any reason for that, or is this just to save time," said a voice that rather reminded Ron of a voice he had loathed through his adolescence and into his adulthood.

"It would just be easier for us to both just Floo there."

"Okay, see you at seven love."

"Bye honey."

Ron walked in just to see a face that looked so familiar to his old enemy's leaving his fireplace. This made him very upset.

"Who were you planning to meet tonight?" Ron interrogated.

"A friend for dinner, Daddy, why?" Rose told him.

"Who is he?"

"A friend."

"A friend who calls you love and you call honey?"

Rose tried to throw him off.

"Why were you eavesdropping on me? You never respect my privacy Dad!"

"I just happened to overhear, don't freak out."

Rose, despite her brains, could think of no reason to lie, or any good lie to tell.

"Okay, fine, he's my boyfriend."

The word 'boyfriend' triggered something ugly in Ron.

"What boyfriend," he snarled. "Since when do you have a boyfriend?"

"I've only been with him a month Dad. We're just going out to dinner."

"No you're not." Ron said.

"Uh, I just made the plans."

"You're not going, I don't like him."

"You don't even know him!" Rose was outraged.

"He looked familiar, like someone I used to know and hate."

Rose sighed in exasperation.

"Okay yes, it is Scorpius Malfoy, but Dad…"

"No, no daughter of mine is dating a Malfoy!"

"That's not fair!"

"She's right Ron, it isn't fair." Hermione had just walked into the room.

"Mum, tell Dad he's horrid!"

"Rose, your father is not horrid, but you may go on your date tonight."

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Hermione glared at him and he stopped.

"Thank you Mummy!" Rose hugged her mother and ran upstairs to get ready.

Hermione turned to Ron in anger.

"What were you thinking?!"

"What were you thinking, letting our daughter date Draco Malfoy's son!"

"Scorpius is a perfectly nice young man, she's been friends with him for years, you know that! For Merlin's sake, he and Albus are best friends!"

"I know that, but, but…Hermione, our little girl's dating a Malfoy!"

"Ron, she's not a little girl anymore." Those words crushed Ron's heart.

"Still…"

"Ron, leave her alone."

Ron had no intention of doing that.

Later that evening he called Harry through the fire.

"What's going on Ron?"

"My daughter is going out with Scorpius Malfoy!"

"You just found out? I heard a month ago, from Albus."

"Everyone knew before me I guess. Look, she's meeting him at the new restaurant in Hogsmeade, The Prancing Unicorn. Come with me."

"You want to spy on your daughter and her boyfriend? Do you know what a bad idea that is? Lily has been with Jason for a year, I have not spied on her once, and it's all been fine. He shows her and me respect because I show him respect."

"My daughter is dating a Malfoy, the situation is different!"

"It's not a good idea Ron, spying never works. Remember when you tried to spy on me and Ginny?"

"That's different! She can't hex me outside of school, you guys were out of school. I am not in danger this time."

"Well you have to do it without me, I value my life. And I promised Ginny I'd have dinner with her tonight, Lily and Albus are both on dates too and James is at a party trying to get a date, so we finally will have the house to ourselves…"

"Please don't go on, it's not helping. I'll see you later."

"Bye," Ron said, now needing to find another reason to go to The Prancing Unicorn. It came quickly.

"Hermione, would you like to go out to dinner tonight? We haven't been out alone with each other for a very long time."

"Wow Ronald, what brought this on?" Hermione was delighted.

"I just think we deserve a night to ourselves. How about we try that new restaurant, The Prancing Unicorn."

"Oh, I've been wanting to try that place, I hear it's wonderful."

"How about we go around 7:30?"

"Great!"

Two hours later, Ron and Hermione were sitting at a table for two in The Prancing Unicorn. Hermione studied the menu while Ron looked around the restaurant. He couldn't see Rose anywhere, but then he heard her voice very close to him.

"Scorpius, what are you thinking about getting?"

"My dad said the Chicken Parmesan was good."

Ron looked again and saw them being seated at a booth near them. They were perpendicular to him and Hermione, but far enough away that they wouldn't notice them. Hermione's back was too them. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect set up. He strained to listen to them talk, but they were just talking about school, and that caused him to miss what his wife was saying.

"Ronald! Are you listening?"

"Yes, of course, dear, what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but continued.

"What do you want to eat? I can't decide."

"Uh, hang on, uh, someone said the Chicken Parmesan was good, maybe I'll get that."

"That might be good, the steak and kidney pie sounds wonderful too."

Ron wasn't listening, he was too busy watching Scorpius and Rose. Scorpius reached for Rose's hand, which she took with a smile. She leaned in to kiss him, which caused Ron to nearly knock his glass over.

"Ron, what are you doing!?" Hermione hissed at him.

"Nothing dear," he insisted.

"What do you keep looking at?" She looked around and saw Rose and Scorpius. She turned back to Ron.

"Ronald Weasley, you are despicable and we are leaving!" She got up, grabbed Ron's arm, and started to pull him out of the restaurant.

Rose heard her mother's voice, and looked away from her boyfriend to see her mother dragging her father out of the restaurant. Her father was straining to look at her on the way out. When he caught her eye, she gave him a death glare. Scorpius noticed, and was immediately concerned.

"Are you okay?"

"My father must've talked my mother into going out to dinner just so he could spy on us."

"What?"

"I know. I don't get what his problem is."

"Well, do you still wanna stay here?"

"Oh, yeah, you know what, he is not going to ruin tonight, I have been looking forward to seeing you for a week now."

"Yeah, Christmas break isn't fun when I don't see you every day."

Rose grinned and leaned in to kiss him again.

Back at the Weasley's house, Hermione was purposefully ignoring her husband while he was getting ready for bed. Finally, he couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Hermione, I'm sorry."

"Don't tell me, tell your daughter, I know she saw you when we left."

"I'm sorry that I lied to you about why I wanted to go out. But do I have to apologize for being concerned about my daughter."

Hermione looked at her husband.

"You shouldn't be trying to spy on her. She's a very responsible young woman, and Scorpius is a nice boy."

"Well, the whole thing surprised me. I mean, you didn't tell me about it."

"Because I thought you might, oh I don't know, overreact." Hermione went back to her book.

"He's a Malfoy!" Ron argued.

"Yes dear, he's a Malfoy."

Seeing he wasn't going to get anywhere with her, Ron went downstairs to wait for Rose to get home.

She got home an hour later. When she saw him waiting for her, she started upstairs.

"Wait Rosie."

"What Dad?"

"I'm sorry."

She stared at him with a glare.

"What are you sorry for Dad, for spying on me and my boyfriend, for trying to ruin my date, what are you sorry for?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"For all of it."

"You know, Uncle Harry never does this to Lily, and Uncle Bill never did it to Victoire."

"I know, I know. It's just, well, think about it from my point of view. Victoire was going out with and then married Teddy Lupin, and Lily's boyfriend Jason is apparently very nice. My daughter on the other hand is dating the son of my old arch enemy."

"Dad, grow up! So a million years ago you and Scorpius' father hated each other. Get over it. I'm not dating Draco, who is actually quite nice now. He's asked after you and mum once or twice. I'm dating Scorpius, who is not a bully, and has been my friend long before we went out. I know what I'm doing when it comes to Scorpius."

Ron stared at his daughter for a second, then realized that Hermione was right. Rose was not a little girl anymore.

"You're right Rosie. I'm sorry. I should have respected you and Scorpius. Your mother is right, you're not a little girl anymore. That makes me very sad."

Rose's face softened.

"I love you Daddy, but I don't need you to chaperone me, or save me. Those days are done."

"I guess so."

"Good night Dad," she said as she hugged him.

"Night sweetheart."

Rose went upstairs, while Ron went into the kitchen, where Hermione was waiting smiling.

"Good job."

"That was hard."

"You did the right thing darling."

"Really?"

"Yes, now come up to bed. Oh, and you owe me a real date for tonight."

Ron grinned and followed his wife upstairs.


End file.
